The present invention relates to data storage systems, and more particularly, this invention relates to magnetic tape head lubrication methods.
In magnetic tape storage systems, data is read from and written onto magnetic tape media utilizing one or more magnetic tape heads. Data is written on the magnetic tape media by moving the magnetic tape media across the magnetic tape head(s). The magnetic tape head(s) then generate a magnetic field, which encodes the data into the magnetic tape media. Data is read from the tape by similarly positioning the tape over the tape head(s) and then sensing the magnetic field of the tape. Read and write operations may be independently synchronized with the movement of the tape to ensure that the data can be read from and written to the desired location on the tape.
As the tape moves across the head(s), friction between the head(s) and the tape causes wear on the tape and head(s), while static friction, herein referred to as “stiction,” reduces the performance of the tape drive due to increased stopping and starting and other factors. In addition, friction and stiction are two phenomena which are currently reducing the durability of magnetic tapes and magnetic heads in magnetic tape drives.